Harper's Weekly, The Schutzenfest

The illustration on this front page of Harper’s Weekly demonstrates Leverenz’s argument of how Harper’s Weekly pays “special attention to articles and images that discuss foreign affairs” (26) because in this illustration it is of The Schutzenfest, which is a traditional German and Swiss festival that represented the Marksmen organizations in those countries who would defend the towns against invasion. With the illustration of a foreign festival, along with the flags of America on top of the Union Square building in New York City, it proves American is very well-aware of the foreign events as Leverenz claims. With having this illustration be the cover, as well as the title of the periodical be “A Journal of Civilization” it proves that America was very concerned with how society lived, and if they were being the best they could be.

Having a society that knows and cares about foreign affairs, creates a sense of strength because they are educated enough to understand a world outside of their own. This state could create a sense that America is better than foreign countries, which is evident in today’s society. However, when it comes to The Moonstone, Ezra Jennings is someone who is considered an “Other”, so the audience of this reading could be harsher towards Ezra since he is outlined as this foreign man who is not fully British.

Harper's Weekly: A Journal of Civilization. 28 July 1868, pp. 449.

Leverenz, Molly Knox. “Illustrating The Moonstone in America: Harper’s Weekly and Transatlantic Introspection.” American Periodicals: A Journal of History & Criticism, vol. 24, no. 1, 2014, pp. 26.